Jacksonville Jaguars long snapper Matt Overton was gracious enough to sit down for a phone interview with Jags Wire and discuss his career, his thoughts on the upcoming NFL season and how his rehab is going, among other things.

One of the first questions on our minds was about his rehabilitation, how he feels it is going and if he is making gains. Overton sustained a shoulder injury during the Jags’ game against the Los Angeles Chargers during the 2017 season which placed him on injured reserve.

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No one wants to be placed on injured reserve, but Overton understood it was best for him and best for the team for him to get healthy. However, it was hard for him to sit out while Jacksonville was having one of their best seasons in a very long time.

“This is my first time going through the IR process (and) it sucks, it’s like, it’s just — it’s hard because we had such a great year in Jacksonville and I was playing really well and really felt like I was having my best year yet,” Overton told Jags Wire. “And we were just on a roll and Week 11, Week 10 I get hurt and they put me on IR because I need to get surgery and all that kind of stuff, so this is my first time going through it. It was hard being on the sidelines watching and watching from home after I got the surgery and stuff like that … not being a part of the team during the playoff run was tough.”

Even though being on IR sucks, it seems like Overton is able to see the silver lining through it all.

“The blessing in it really is just (that) I’ve really focused on my health in general and my nutrition and my strength.”

Every day he is making gains and surpassing goals he set for himself during the process.

“My goal from the get-go was to be snapping by March 1 and I reached that goal, so I’m not 100 percent yet,” Overton said. “But to be about a month ahead of a normal person’s progress after this type of surgery feels really good. Hopefully, by April I will be cleared by the doctors.”

Overton has huge plans for this coming season, both personally and on a team level. He is a free agent and is hopeful about going back to Jacksonville, but he understands football is a business.

“I really just feel like I have unfinished business in Jacksonville and I think anybody you talk to on the team feels the same way,” he said. “For me, it’s more like I just want to be back on the field again to play and get through a season healthy and contribute at a high level.”

He wants to get to the ultimate goal with the Jags — winning a championship.

“It was such a special year in Jacksonville last year that I really created a great bond with my teammates, especially my kicker and punter and my special teams coaches. I just think it’s a team on the rise and it’s a special place to be right now and essentially almost everyone is returning.”

When asked about his thoughts on whether or not the Jags will make it to the Super Bowl this year, he was unwavering in his response and answered the question almost before it was out of my mouth.

“There is no question, I mean we were one game away, actually one half away from reaching the Super Bowl last year. The team is really young and (has) such great leadership. And for us I think, you know, everyone is just hungry.”

Overton spoke about the culture of the team and building a culture of winning and determination, which he attributes to Tom Coughlin. The mentality is changing in Jacksonville, and Overton believes this mentality and hard work is going to materialize into a championship. The new culture is all about respect, accountability, and hard work. It’s reminiscent of Bill Walsh’s San Francisco 49ers, who went on to win three Super Bowls under his leadership after having a team that was statistically the worst in the league only a few seasons before he took over.

“It’s just really cool to be a part of and it is something special and it’s a lot of fun, but (it’s) hard work. I mean it’s grueling.”

The team has come so far in its 23-year existence and has even more to offer the NFL and their fan base. Jacksonville certainly is a special place to be and Overton wants to be sure to continue to work hard with his Jags teammates so they can win a Super Bowl this NFL season.

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